Speaking after Tuesday’s historic wins, team coach Kobi Weiner said he was stunned by the magical week at London 2012.

“Shraga has been at two Paralympics before and lost in the quarter finals both times. He beat the Paralympic champion to set up the derby against Noam. It is still a shock how well it has gone here,” he said.

“To go home with these medals from the tennis is a very good result. We have a lot of fans in England and having them here to support us, as well as a big crowd from our clubs who have travelled here – it is like being at home.”

Noam Gershony’s rise to Paralympic success has been both rapid and unexpected. He was seriously injured in 2007 when the IDF Apache helicopter he was flying crashed en route to Lebanon.

During the years of rehabilitation that followed, physiotherapists suggested he try wheelchair tennis to aid the recovery of his damaged limbs.

Noam’s parents and sister travelled to London to watch him compete. After Tuesday’s 6-1 6-1 victory over American Bryan Barten, Noam’s father, Moshe, recalled the moment an IDF officer arrived at the family’s home near Tel Aviv to break the news of the crash.

“When you hear that knock on the door at 3am, you know that something very bad has happened. They took us to the hospital and said the situation with Noam was critical. We had to wait about a week before they told us he was almost out of danger.”

Gradually Noam’s health improved and, with the tennis rehab going well, he could see a way forward. But he never anticipated sporting success.

“Everything happened so fast for me, progressing up the rankings and making it into the Games six months ago. It really took me by surprise,” he said after his quarter-final victory.

In Moshe Gershony’s eyes, his son is already a champion: “For us the main thing is that he is healthy, he can do almost everything he did before the accident, he even does water-skiing. Noam has come back to life.

“We are so happy. He has come from the very bottom to the peak of the Olympics. Noam has gone from darkness to glory.”